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Enjoying strawberries in a café with her foster daughter, this mum was surprised when a stranger came and put an envelope on the table.

Opening the blank envelope, she was surprised to see a Christmas card inside – and a $5 note.

But it was the message the stranger wrote that moved her to tears.

The card read, "For a well behaved little girl. We hope you have a merry Christmas. Santa is always watching.

"He sends people to let you know that you are on the 'nice' list. Here's a reward for being so good!"

The mum was so touched by the random act of kindness that she shared it on the Canberra Mums Facebook page – and explained that her little girl had only recently been separated from her birth family.

Posting a picture of the card, she wrote, "Dear Santa's Little Helper ... on Tuesday you approached us while we were having a treat at Max Brenner. You put an envelope on our table and promptly left, barely a word spoken. I could not hold back the tears when I opened the card you left and read your thoughtful words.

You acknowledged the beautiful behaviour of my child, who sat quietly eating chocolate strawberries and chatting to me and my friend. What you couldn't have possibly known, is that the child you took the time to acknowledge has recently been separately from their birth family.

Life for a foster child is not easy, but through your kindness you have shown this amazing child the spirit of community. As a foster carer, I can't tell you how much your gift of kind words (and $5) means to us.

Your random act of kindness towards us complete strangers has touched me deeply. I will treasure this memory for my lifetime. Thank you."

The post has now been liked over 18,000 times on Facebook.

"Well done Santa's little helper. Quietly acknowledging the little things in life can have a bigger impact than you ever dream of," one person commented.

"This is beautiful! I struggled to hold back my tears," another added.